Ms. Ro Fi Ah (born in 1990, Cham ethnic group) - owner of a beef noodle shop in Chau Doc (An Giang) said that in the locality, Cham Muslims do not eat pork but eat buffalo, beef, etc. and must fast during Ramadan.

Therefore, the culinary culture of the ethnic minorities here is influenced by beliefs and religions. Food preparation also follows religious regulations.

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Cham beef noodle soup served with herbs and sprinkled with pepper

Ms. Ro Fi Ah said that to cook delicious beef pho, she uses grass-fed beef. This type of beef is naturally raised, so the meat is firm and has a sweet, aromatic flavor.

“Cham people only buy beef slaughtered and sold by Cham people. Beef is easily injected with water, which reduces the quality of the meat and is quite wasteful (1kg of boiled beef only retains about 45%), so I often buy grass-fed beef from the surrounding area and cook it myself,” she said.

Ms. Ro Fi Ah has opened a Cham pho restaurant for several years now.

The 34-year-old owner also revealed that the pho broth is made from several types of bones such as shank bones, shanks (fan-shaped bones taken from the front thigh of a cow), ribs and bay bones.

“To get a rich, naturally sweet broth, I usually simmer the bones for about 15 hours, helping the bones release all the sweetness from within,” she added.

In addition, to make the broth more delicious, the restaurant owner also combines many ingredients and spices such as onions, scallions and roasted garlic, ginger, galangal, coriander root (root of coriander plant), sugar cane with cardamom (star anise, fennel, cinnamon, cloves) and roasts them over low heat to bring out the characteristic aroma.

The broth is also seasoned with a little salt and rock sugar in appropriate amounts (depending on the ratio of water) to increase the richness, suitable for the taste of the Cham people.

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According to Ms. Ro Fi Ah, not only the broth, but also the preparation of the ingredients also requires meticulousness and effort. However, depending on the place and the secret of each person, Cham pho can be varied with slightly different ingredients and recipes.

For beef pho, she uses brisket, flank, shoulder, thigh and front leg. Depending on the type of beef, the boiling time is different. The cook must rely on experience, time the right amount of time to take the meat out.

For rare beef, the restaurant owner prefers to use fillet or hind leg to ensure the meat is soft, fragrant, and easy to eat.

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The ingredients served with beef pho are diverse, from brisket, brisket,... to beef balls, tendons.

“Most of the dishes of the Cham people in An Giang in general and beef noodle soup in particular are created based on the harmonious combination of locally available ingredients such as beef, palm sugar or rock sugar and some familiar spices (onion, pepper, garlic, chili, lemongrass).

Along with that is the ingenuity of Cham women to create unique traditional dishes, not only eye-catching in appearance but also unforgettable in taste," she expressed.

Mr. Thai Lam (in Chau Doc) has visited Ms. Ro Fi Ah's Cham pho restaurant several times because he was very impressed with the taste of the pho here. His favorite dish is the special beef pho, served with some types of meat, priced at 50,000 VND/bowl.

He commented that Cham pho has its own unique characteristics with a large portion, full ingredients and a sweet broth, fragrant with rock sugar and herbs.

A Western tourist cycled from Quang Binh to Hue to try a famous specialty that he said was "more delicious than pho".